Angelica A. Morrison

More than 150 years ago, the Great Lakes region played a key role in the Underground Railroad. Runaway slaves made their way to cities along the lakes and crossed the border to freedom in Canada. Fast forward to today, when thousands of asylum seekers are passing up a chance to live in the U-S – and are heading north too.

Updated Wednesday, Aug. 3

The recent black, odorous wastewater discharge near the base of Niagara Falls violated New York regulations, a state official says. But it's unclear whether any fines will result.

Invasive fish and plants that have plagued the Great Lakes region for decades are getting some special attention this week.

The National Wildlife Federation issued a statement in response to the recent discovery of an Asian Carp found just a few miles outside of Lake Michigan.

Angelica A. Morrison reports

A new report on the health of the Great Lakes is out this week, and it shows a grim outlook for Lake Erie.

Biologists with the USFWS work to monitor and track the progress of the Lake Sturgeon in the lower Niagara River.

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Final part of a series on President Trump's budget

On the shores of the lower Niagara River, about 10 miles from Niagara Falls, a group of biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepare to examine the largest fish species in the Great Lakes region – the lake sturgeon.

Updated Friday, May 26, at 4:45 p.m.

The region braced for a long stretch of rain and showers -- weather that could contribute to more flooding.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for rain or a chance or showers every day through Thursday. 

And the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River board, which controls outflows from a big dam, says it be "several weeks" before the lake is significantly lower.

Concerns are growing that the historic structures at Old Fort Niagara could be at risk of damage from Lake Ontario's flood waters. The fort is located in New York at the mouth of the Niagara River, where it meets the lake.

As heavy rains continued along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, residents and government officials are growing concerned about waves that are eroding lakefront properties. They're also worried about damage to local utilities.

It’s important to know that the food you’re eating  is safe—especially when it comes to fish caught in polluted waters.

Rising levels on Lake Ontario have prompted officials in counties near Buffalo and Rochester to declare a state of emergency.

Officials said they expect higher than normal water levels over the next few days and into the weekend -- with a possibility of flooding.

On Tuesday, the International Joint Commission, a group that helps regulate the Great Lakes, is coming to Buffalo to listen to your concerns -- and discuss issues that are important to the Buffalo region.

Great Lakes Today will host a Facebook Live event for the International Joint Commission's Buffalo public meeting on the health of the lakes.

Two sessions will take place March 28, and both will be streamed live on Facebook.

Wetland habitat restoration will be among the issues highlighted at an upcoming public meeting aimed at improving the state of the Great Lakes. The Buffalo meeting on March 28 is one of six being held regionally by the International Joint Commission, the bi-national group that helps regulate the Great Lakes.

Its 20 degrees on a frigid Saturday afternoon. Jennifer Nalbone is standing outside a small Western New York airport waiting for her father Lou.

Just minutes after President Donald J. Trump took the oath of office Friday morning, changes began to take place -- starting with the government's website. The page dedicated to climate change was one of many revisions on whitehouse.gov.

Helen Domske is the senior coastal education specialist for New York Sea Grant and associate director of the University at Buffalo's Great Lakes Program. She's also an avid scuba diver, so we asked her about diving in the Great Lakes.

Environmentalists in Canada are taking a close look at water quality, and a new study by the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper highlights some serious problems.